The European Commission said Thursday it would send an additional 663 million euros ($ 740 million) in funding it agreed with Turkey as part of their 2016 refugee agreement.
The funds will be used to support health care and education programs in Turkey, home to the world´s largest refugee population, hosting 4 million refugees, including more than 3.6 million from Syria alone.
In 2016, the EU pledged up to € 6 billion to support refugees in Turkey.
In return, Ankara agreed to ban those trying to reach the bloc, internally divided over how to deal with incoming asylum seekers.
But in recent months, Turkey has called on the EU to send more money, complaining that the promised money has not been delivered.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to "open the gates" and allow refugees to enter the European Union after the bloc´s countries criticized his incursion into northern Syria earlier this month.
